Title- The Selection and Variation in the Egyptian Origami Bird (Avis papyrus) Grade level- 10th grade Biology Lesson Overview- Students participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes ("Origami Birds"). Learning Performances
Students will be able to:
Explain and demonstrate that mutations occur randomly.
Explain and identify that selection is based on the immediate needs of the organism.
Explain that inherited characteristics (whether mutated or not) are contingent and why.
Explain and identify that divergent evolution may occur when sub-populations face different environments.
Explain and identify that convergent evolution may result in different populations independently solving a similar problem.
Explain and identify that one cause of speciation is isolation of sub-populations and why.
By the end of the 12th grade, students should know that:
Heritable characteristics can be observed at molecular and whole-organism levels-in structure, chemistry, or behavior. These characteristics strongly influence what capabilities an organism will have and how it will react, and therefore influence how likely it is to survive and reproduce
Natural selection provides the following mechanism for evolution: Some variation in heritable characteristics exists within every species, some of these characteristics give individuals an advantage over others in surviving and reproducing, and the advantaged offspring, in turn, are more likely than others to survive and reproduce. The proportion of individuals that have advantageous characteristics will increase.
Natural selection leads to organisms that are well suited for survival in particular environments. Chance alone can result in the persistence of some heritable characteristics having no survival or reproductive advantage or disadvantage for the organism. When an environment changes, the survival value of some inherited characteristics may change.
Students’ Prior Knowledge of Experience- This lab presumes that the students have had some introduction to evolution. Students do not need a rigorous understanding of genetics to successfully complete and interpret this lab. The concept that progeny resemble parents is good enough.
Materials needed-
Paper
Instructions
Tape (clear or masking)
Straws (non-bending are best)
Six-sided die
Copper, or other metal
Coin
Overhead projector
Time required- 1 class period (90 minutes)
Instructional sequence oIntroducing the lesson-
10 minutes: When the students come in, I will remind them that they will be doing the hands-on activity today (they will already know what they are supposed to be doing because we spent the end of the previous class going over it) I will first have them do a journal answering the question of the day, which requires them me showing the the diagram below on the overhead projector. The question is: By examining the graph below, do you think everyone in the class will end up with a very different or very similar bird length due to mutation? Why? I will then briefly allow them to volunteer what they think will happen (most likely very conflicted ideas!). I will then say: Today we will find out!
oInstructional Activities
60 minutes: Next I will remind the students what they are supposed to be doing (we discussed it the previous day to save time today), have the students split up into their groups(2-3 students, previously selected) and do the activity! They will be using this handout-
5 minutes: I will then instruct the students to clean up
5 minutes: I will then go over the question of the day, explaining the answer, using their results as a demonstration of how the birds who were able to fly the farthest were naturally selected for and that is why most of their results are similar even though the mutations were not! I will then instruct them to complete the questions for homework.
oAssessing Student Understanding
I will be assessing the student's understanding by the journals, class discussion, observation, and grading their completed activity (which they would be completing for homework). All of these assessments could help me gauge their understanding and comprehension.
Cautions- Make sure the students are not running around when they are completing this activity since it requires them moving around. Also make sure that they are staying on topic and not being distracted. In additoin Be aware of, and caution students against, these misconceptions:
Most mutations, at best, modestly effect phenotype and fitness.
This lab does not model sexual reproduction.
Other genetic loci are ignored. For example, a flightless Origami Bird might hide from its predators if it carried the appropriate coloration alleles.
The Rationale-
In order to examine the random nature of mutations and natural selection, students breed clutches of Egyptian Origami Birds (Avis papyrus) using random number generators (dice and coins) to mutate several genetic loci: anterior and posterior wing position, wing width, and wing length. The birds are then released. Only those birds which can fly the furthest survive to produce offspring. After several generations, students usually note a significant increase in flight distance and duration. Students then answer questions about separate sub-populations of Egyptian Origami Birds which experience different selection pressures.
I feel that this activity could help the students see for themselves how an abstract idea or concept works. Many of them might just passively memorize the definition of natural selection, by this gives them a hands on demonstration of how it works. I also feel that the question of the day could cause some sort of debate (some students feeling that results will be different, others feeling it would be similar), which could gain their attention in completing the lab to see "who was correct". By doing this, they will be actively engaged in the material and they will also be more likely to remember the results!
Grade level- 10th grade Biology
Lesson Overview- Students participate in a contrived natural selection simulation in which they build and modify simple paper airplanes ("Origami Birds").
Learning Performances
Students will be able to:
Links to standards
Link to Standards
"Unpacked" Standards
By the end of the 12th grade, students should know that:
Students’ Prior Knowledge of Experience- This lab presumes that the students have had some introduction to evolution. Students do not need a rigorous understanding of genetics to successfully complete and interpret this lab. The concept that progeny resemble parents is good enough.
Materials needed-
Time required- 1 class period (90 minutes)
Instructional sequence
o Introducing the lesson-
o Instructional Activities
o Concluding the lesson
o Assessing Student Understanding
Resources
Cautions- Make sure the students are not running around when they are completing this activity since it requires them moving around. Also make sure that they are staying on topic and not being distracted. In additoin Be aware of, and caution students against, these misconceptions:
The Rationale-